Watch Olypic Games in Budapest

The Tourism Office of Budapest has compiled a list of outdoor places, pubs and restaurants, where you can see the Olympic games in Budapest. The list is available here: Watch Olympic Games.

Best Money Exchange in Budapest

You might aware of the fact that in Central and Eastern Europe one has to be cautious by exchanging currencies. Sometimes it is because of bad exchange rates (not communicated properly ) or because of culture of cheating naive tourists. As a local citizen I also have plenty of thinking where to change money on the best rate for our own trips abroad. Some weeks ago I discovered a small exchange office (June, 2008 ) in the downtown of Budapest, which has very good exchange rates. It is a really small place in the Bajcsy-Zsilinszky ut 56. (between Basilica and Nyugati Square ) and in the Nagymező utca 25. Rates are lot better here than you find in the banks or at railway stations. Since both of their exchange offices in the downtown (close to the Opera) I recommend to go there if you want to save bucks and euros. They also have a daily exchange rates published on their website.
Finally a recommendation: NEVER CHANGE MONEY WITH UNKNOWN PEOPLE ON THE STREETS!

Summer Festivities On The Lanchid / Budapest

Summer On The Chain Bridge
(source: www.budapest.hu)

On the hottest weekends of the summer, no vehicle traffic on the Chain Bridge, one of the symbols of Budapest, it gives way to pedestrians, baby strollers, roller skaters and onlookers. At both ends of the bridge hospitality centres with big sunshades await our visitors with cool drinks and delicious specialities of different nations.

On the bridge the best Hungarian craftsmen and applied folk artists offer their wares, and not just to tourists.

“Wonders of Budapest” – the street acrobats and musicians, often taken for granted, are a very important part of a city’s atmosphere. Each weekend we have different surprises in store for children and adults alike: there will be acrobats and fire-jugglers, bubble-blowers and kite-fliers, demonstrations of musical instruments and portrait painters, pottery-pipe and accordion players.

You can have your photograph taken against a historical background or with strange figures, hire a modern bike and explore further, then come back to hear a concert or simply be outdoors in the centre of the city.

Regular musicians:
accordionist
zither-player
cimbalom-player
pan pipe-player

Regular attractions:
fire-eaters
jugglers
acrobats
bubble-blowers
yo-yoers
kite-fliers
devil stickers
diabolo jugglers
portrait sketcher
silhouette-cutter
photographer

Detailed program

(source: Festivalcity.hu)

Hungarian Pop Music

The Nox is one of the most popular pop bands in Hungary. They mix the traditional folkmusical elements and instruments with the modern pop music. Their song the "Embermadár" or "Human bird" glorifies and courages the "human" be brave to fight with natural elements like altitude or water. Not miracle, this song has happened to be the title song of the European Swimming Championship 2006 in Budapest. Listen: here.

Year of Renaissance - 2008

The Renaissance Program Office operating within the Ministry of Education and Culture organizes an event series with this title. The event series referring to the 550th anniversary of King Matthias' ascending the throne of Hungary covers issues of culture, gastronomy, science and others. The season will be launched on 22nd January 2008 and will come to an end on the same day a year later.

An inventory of the plans so far shows that circa 66 museums and exhibiting facilities, 20 institutions, 25 associations and organizations have already entered for participation in the season's events. We hope that those who come across the programs of the season will not only obtain experiences but also valuable knowledge and a tinged outlook upon life.

For further details please visit the Official Website of the Reneszánsz Év

About Hungarian Wines...

We, Hungarian people are addicted to our wines despite the global wine industry which off course, has serious impact on our drinking habits. In parties, family gatherings even today is very common to taste home-made wines. In the countryside if someone has some grape feels the pressure from heart to produce wine... The culture of preparing wines goes back to the medievals (to 10-12. century) when Hungarian kings invited monastic orders from Italy, France and Germany. They established monasteries all around the country and disseminated modern methods for agricultural cultivation. As being part of this development vineyards were planted. During the centuries - based on unique geographical circumstances- excellent type of wines were developed. Unfortunately between 1945-1990 the socialist mass production and industrialization degraded the quality of wine production. But in 1990 a new era has started. Young and/or talented entrepreneurs established or reestablished wine houses and planted wineyards emphasizing old values of quality instead of quantity. See below the names and location of various Hungarian Wine Regions. So be aware: not the Egri Bakavér and the Tokaji Aszú are the only excellent wines in Hungary! Be brave to discover small wine houses and dare to try these and you will be amazed how good are these!

Borvidékek / Wine Regions:
1. Csongrád »
2. Hajós-Baja »
3. Kunság »
4. Ászár-Neszmély »
5. Badacsony »
6. Balatonfüred-Csopak »
7. Balatonfelvidék »
8. Etyek-Buda »
9. Mór »
10. Pannonhalma »
11. Somló »
12. Sopron »
13. Balatonboglár »
14. Pécs »
15. Szekszárd »
16. Villány »
17. Bükkalja »
18. Eger »
19. Mátra »
20. Tokaj »
21. Balatonmelléke »
22. Tolna »

Hungary Card : Discounts

Relax in the best way: Hungary Card is in your pocket, and your holiday budget never gets out of hand...

Please read this introduction carefully, and learn about all the services and opportunities that are available to you at a reduced price, or sometimes even free of charge.

How can you use the Hungary Card?

1) You may claim certain discounts simply by showing the card, taking advantage of the opportunity an unlimited number of times during the validity period.

2) Other discounts are available to you only a limited number of times. In order to take advantage of these reduced or free services, use the vouchers you find in the voucher book you received with the card. Each voucher gets you one discount - usually for one person, at times for everybody in your company. Just hand your card and booklet over to the service provider. They will tear out a voucher, and if applicable, stamp or date the remaining part. Please keep your card and booklet ready, as in case of a control it serves as proof of your eligibility. Reduced fare tickets are valid only together with the corresponding card and booklet. You can purchase reduced fare tickets or services, as long as you have a correspondent voucher in your book. Therefore, take the card and the voucher book with you every time you set out on a trip.


Examples of Discounts:

10 - 20 % discounts on accommodation
10 - 20 % discounts on restaurants
10 - 50 % discounts on museums entry tickets
10 - 15 % discounts in baths and thermal spas
10 - 100 % discounts for certain tourist services and events
20 % reduction on Well-PRess travel guides and publications
20 % discount on Lake Balaton boat tickets for two people.
50 % discount on the Balatoncard
15 % discount at FOX Car Rental

Other Cards:
Balaton Card: www.balatoncard.hu
Budapest Card: www.budapestinfo.hu

Where to buy a Hungary Card?

In the Tourinform Büros are available at www.tourinform.hu

National Circus Festival Budapest (January 24 - 28, 2008)

This will be the 6th time that Budapest hosts and organizes the International Circus Festival. Once again the task is to present the best of International and Hungarian circus arts, comparing the best performances of the exceptional talents appearing during the five live shows at the Capital Circus.

The Festival is a celebration, a unique event for the circus arts and a serious competition for the participating professionals. Many carriers have started right here, since producers, directors and agents are always searching for new talents and interested to discover acts for their shows. This event is held only every two years to guarantee exclusivity and maximum interests among the International circus community.

We are proud of the fact that Budapest is establishing itself as a circus city and its festival is more and more popular among circus lovers and professionals than ever.

Further information: www.maciva.hu

How to get there: walking distance from Heroes Square ( Hősök Tere) / Állatkerti körút (Boulevard), City Park (Városliget)

Magnificent Synagogue in Budapest

The Great Synagogue in Dohány utca (Street), also known as the Dohány Synagogue, or the Tabac-Schul, the Yiddish translation of dohány (tobacco), after the Hungarian name of the street, is located in Belváros, the inner city of Pest, in the eastern section of Budapest. It was built between 1854-1859 by the Neolog Jewish community of Pest according to the plans of the Viennese architect Ludwig Foerster. The synagogue neighbors a major Budapest thoroughfare expressing the optimism and the newly elevated status of the Hungarian Jews in the mid years of the 19th century.

It is a monumental, magnificent synagogue, with a capacity of 2,964 seats (1,492 for men and 1,472 in the women's galleries) making it one of the largest in the world. The building has a length of more than 53 meters while its width has 26.5 meters. The design of the Dohány Street synagogue, while basically in a Moorish style, also features a mixture of Byzantine, Romantic, and Gothic elements.

How to get there: It is 2 minutes walk from the central Deak Square, same distance from Astoria. Search on a map: junction of Károly körút-Wesselenyi utca-Dohány utca.

Close to this place in the Rumbach Sebestyen utca you can find gorgeous neglected other synagogue (Rumbach Synagogue). If you are lucky enough to find it hopefully the security guard admits you to admire the building inside. Guided tour with an expert also available from us. E-mail: danubebendtour@gmail.com